


Five Times Bucky Meets Natasha

by Baamon5evr



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, Mentions of Suicide, bucky feels like a creep but he's just a fool falling in love, bucky's sister ship buckynat, mentions of parental death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-02 23:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5268077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baamon5evr/pseuds/Baamon5evr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time he saw her was in the grocery store. From behind she was so short and nondescript in her gray hoodie he thought she was a child or a young adult. He didn't realize she was a grown -- gorgeous -- woman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Bucky Meets Natasha

The first time he saw her was in the grocery store. From behind she was so short and nondescript in her gray hoodie he thought she was a child or a young adult. She was busy trying to reach the paper towels on the top shelves and even when she stood on the edge of the refrigerator she couldn't reach them. He didn't realize she was a grown -- gorgeous -- woman until she turned her head slightly in frustration and blew an errant curl of short, vibrant red hair out of her face. Her face looked red from frustration as she continued her quest until Bucky snapped out of it and walked over to help. (Walked. He definitely didn't rush or run because that would be absurd.)

"Here, let me help you out." She cast a look of reluctant disdain towards him.

"I don't need help. I can do it." He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, just barely and he probably only succeeded because Steve exhibited that same stubborn refusal for help when he couldn't reach something.

"Well I can make it easier." She looked at the paper towel weighing her options before conceding to his help.

"Fine but we do it my way. Lift me."

"What?"

"Lift me."

"Wouldn't it be easier for me to just grab it?"

"Either lift me or go away. I don't need anyone doing anything for me." Bucky rose an eyebrow at that but gestured towards her body. She opened her arms allowing him to put his arms on her waist and raise her into a boat lift. She didn't start or scare at the horizontal lift she simply grabbed two rolls of paper towel before he brought her back down to earth. She placed the rolls in her basket before picking it up.

"Thanks." She said walking around him. He turned to watch as she walked away before she paused. He felt his breath pause with her. What would she say? Would she ask for his name? His number? That was presumptuous. Maybe she would tell him what a creep he was. Admittedly he was acting ridiculously creepy.

"Nice form by the way." She said before continuing on her way. He was fairly certain he stared at the empty space she vacated for much too long.

~*~*~

The second time he saw her was awkward, on his end at least because she hadn't seemed phased. He had just returned home to the apartment he shared with Steve and Steve's boyfriend Sam after dropping his two youngest sisters off at their ballet classes. He was going over in his head what he might cook for dinner as he walked into his apartment. He absentmindedly walked into the living room then instantly stopped. There spread across the couch was the woman from the grocery store and she was completely naked. He was pretty sure he was catching flies as his jaw hit the floor.

"Hello." She said casually, sounding completely unbothered by the situation they found themselves in. Bucky quickly slapped a hand over his eyes, not that that helped, the image of her body was burned into his retinas.

"Um, what exactly is going on right now? Because both of my roommates are in a committed relationship, to each other actually, so unless there's something I don't know about--"

"You think I'm a homewrecker?" She asked. There was amusement in her voice.

"No that's not what I said. Though if you were I wouldn't blame you, I don't know you. Unless you knew, which is beside the point because maybe you're not."

"So you're not 100% sure I'm a homewrecker but there's still a possibility?" She was toying with him and probably enjoying it and he was just digging himself a deeper hole.

"No, I mean I don't...” He trailed off with a sigh.

"I'm sorry. My brain is not really working correctly right now."

"I take that as a compliment."

"No, not because of you. It's just school and exams and such. Not that you don't have a nice body. But I didn't look too long or anything. I... Ugh, Боже мой. Почему я так жутко действует?” (Oh my goodness. Why am I acting so creepy?) He trailed off, reverting to Russian in his embarrassment.

"I don't think you're creepy. It's actually entertaining and cute, you getting so flustered over something so small." Of course she spoke Russian because why wouldn't she?

"Something small? I walked in on you buck naked, aren't you at all concerned about, I don't know, your privacy?"

"If I was so concerned about privacy would I be laid out on this couch, buck naked as you said, in the middle of an open studio apartment? You're not too concerned about privacy either, not with how long you were staring."

"I was not staring."

"You were. You were looking then and you want to look now. Probably picturing me right now."

"I am not. And will you at least put a sheet on so I move my hand and see where I'm going?"

"I don't think I will actually. Better to watch you squirm." He could practically hear the smirk in her voice.

"Okay, is this revenge for indirectly calling you a homewrecker? I'm sorry, that was stupid and disrespectful and presumptuous. My Ma would've knocked me upside the head for that one."

"I don't do revenge, but if I did I'd do it way better than this."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because I've been lying on this couch for the better part of an hour and I need entertainment, grocery boy, and you're the best thing available right now."

Grocery boy? She remembers. He realized, his hand inadvertently falling away from his face and putting her back into focus. She was indeed smirking at him but still very naked.

"Ha. Made you look." He quickly replaced his hand. He could’ve used the opportunity to walk to his room but that would mean walking past her and he wasn't about to get any closer than he already was. Mercifully Steve chose to walk into the room.

"Oh, hey Bucky." He said casually as if a naked woman wasn't on the couch.

"I think I've assaulted your friend’s delicate sensibilities, Steve."

"Bucky doesn't have sensibilities."

"He's thinks you're cheating on Sam with me. Never mind I worked very hard getting you two together."

"We're on our nude paintings portion of my art class and Nat volunteered. I could've swore I introduced you guys before, guess not. Bucky, this is Natasha. Nat, meet Bucky."

"Nice to meet you, grocery boy."

"Yeah, you too. I'm just gonna... Stevie could you help me..?" Natasha's laughter followed him as Steve directed him to his bedroom with bony hands.

~*~*~

The third time was decidedly more comfortable than the second. His big sister, Evelyn, had once again roped him into carpooling duties for their younger sisters Rebecca and Rose's ballet practice. Bucky had a lot of homework to do and no time to really devout to spending time with his younger siblings the way he wanted to but he knew that ever since their parents had died Evie had been trying really hard to juggle being the girls’ guardian along with her demanding job. Their Aunt Ida was constantly trying to find a reason to take the girls away from Evie, saying that her “lifestyle” wasn’t suitable to young children. Honestly, Evelyn and her girlfriend Tamara were much better suited to raise the girls than he was and were a lot better for them in the long run than their Aunt Ida, even though she was filling Evie’s head with garbage leaning towards the contrary. So if his big sis needed this one favor from him he was more than happy to brave the mothers of the other little girls staring at him like he was a fresh piece of meat.

He had gotten them there uneventfully but now had to walk inside to pick them up as their class was running a little late. As expected as he walked past he could feel multiple stares on his ass which normally wouldn’t bother him but this setting added some discomfort to the actions. He sat in a seat next to the only other male present in the room.

“Hey Clint.”

“Barnes, you’re back. Thought the DHC had run you off.”

“The DHC?”

“The Desperate Housewives’ Coalition. It’s what my wife, Laura, calls the other moms. I used to get stared at the way you do when I first started carpooling for Lila. Wish I could say it gets better but Mrs. Hannagan grabbed my ass on the way in and she’s got these acrylic nails, man. Don’t know how I’m going to explain those marks to Laura without her flipping her shit.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better.” Clint shrugged before pointing at the dancing girls ranging in ages 7-13.

“You’re getting flagged.” Bucky looked over to the girls. Rebecca, being 13 years old and thus taller, was in the back of the lines while Rose, 8 years old, was in the front seeing as how she was so small for her age. They were both waving enthusiastically at him. He waved back just as enthusiastically.

“Girls, focus.” The teacher instructed. Bucky looked towards the woman in front and nearly fell off his chair when he realized it was Natasha. She looked over at him and a glimmer of recognition crossed her eye but she didn’t react, refocusing her attentions on the girls.

What the hell was she doing there? Not that she couldn’t be wherever she wanted but he had picked up the girls before and their teacher was an entirely different woman.

"When did the girls get a new instructor?"

"Hmm? Oh, Hope broke her ankle. Her father was sick. She ran up the stairs to get to him when he started coughing and missed a step." Bucky wasn't so sure he believed that. The girls' teacher Hope Van Dyne seemed pretty coordinated but then whenever Steve was sick Bucky tripped over his feet to run to his side.

"Apparently ballerina's are like horses, once their legs are broken there goes their career. Fucked up as that is. Laura and I recommended Nat."

"You know her?"

"We went to high school and college together. We stayed close. She needed to get out more and ballet's her thing. Besides, Lila adores her so win-win."

"Right." Bucky stood up along with everyone else as the girls were dismissed. He staggered back as Becca and Rosie bowled into him hugging him tight.

"Hey, my legs aren't as strong as you twos', careful with the goods girls." Bucky joked, leaning down to kiss each of their foreheads.

"Hello boys." Bucky looked up as Natasha approached them, smiling genially at them.

"I see class is going well." Clint commented.

"It is. Thanks for the recommendation but I need to speak with Mr. Barnes in private." Bucky looked at the redhead, wide eyed at the request.

"Um--"

"We're going to wait in the car." Becca said, pulling away from Bucky.

"No, I'll wait here for Bucky." Rose said, cuddling a little further into his legs. Becca hit her shoulder causing the younger girl to look at her with confusion. Becca gave Rose a look before the younger girl suddenly let go of Bucky's legs.

"Actually, I'll wait in the car too." The girls gave him a look before running from the room.

"I'm going to go make sure nothing happens to them while you two talk." Clint said, looking between them with interest as he held Lila in his arms. Bucky watched them walk away and then hesitantly looked back to Natasha.

"So..."

"So?" She questioned.

"You're kind of everywhere, huh?"

"Well, this is my neighborhood. Should I not be around here?" She said with amusement.

"Of course. I mean that came out wrong and..." Bucky cut himself off with a chuckle. It was ridiculous, the way he reacted around her.

"You know, I'm convinced you have some magical ability to make people tongue tied."

"Possibly. It is entertaining."

"For you maybe. The rest of us just make fools of ourselves and die a little inside of embarrassment."

"I think that might be a tad over-dramatic."

"Cause you're on the other side." She smirked before looking over his shoulder and smirking wider.

"Your sisters are sweet girls but subtlety isn't their strong suit, is it?" Bucky raised his eyebrow at her.

"Don't look but they're peering through the window at us." He instinctively turned to look but she grabbed his chin and pulled his face back towards her. Her hands were soft though slightly cold. He didn't mind.

"I said don't look." She chastised, dropping her hand. He tried not to be disappointed about that but he kinda was.

 _Stop being so damn creepy. The hell is wrong with you?_ His head shouted at him. He really wished he could answer that question.

"Your sisters have been raving about their older brother to me. How great he is, how kind and loving and most importantly, single he is." Bucky did his best to ward off his blush while his fingers itched to facepalm. Of course his sisters would try to set him up with her. They talked him up to practically every and any woman they could find. Their teachers, women at church, people they met at grocery stores and parks and single mothers of their friends. Being constantly pimped out by his adolescent siblings was beyond embarrassing and made him feel like there was something seriously wrong with him.

"I didn't put them up to it. I didn't even know you were their teacher. They just think I need a girlfriend, which I don't but... you know." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his head as embarrassment welled up in him. He felt like he was down 20 in the ninth inning. When it came to her his game really was shit. Natasha just stared at him with a raised eyebrow causing him to sigh.

"For the sake of me not dying of embarrassment, let's just skip to the point of this conversation."

"I just wanted to ask you if it was okay if I came to pick the girls up tomorrow. They need new ballet shoes and I figured I'd take them so they get the right kind and not break the bank on it."

"I... I don't know if Evelyn will be okay with the girls going out alone with someone she barely knows."

"So come with us."

"What?"

"You've got some ballet training yourself, no?"

"My mom did ballet her whole life."

"I know. Winnie Barnes is... was one of my inspirations."

"Mine too." Bucky said looking down. His parents had been dead almost two years now but it still hurt to think of them. They died so suddenly, courtesy of a drunk driver. He and Rose had been in car with them but Rose was fine and he had only broken his left arm but their father died instantly and their mother went two days later. It had gotten easier to deal with over time but nothing was ever the same. Natasha picked up on the dip in his mood easily.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"I'm the one who brought it up. It's fine. Just... I'll ask Evie and if she agrees I'll go with you guys." His voice sounded much less lively, even to his ears.

"My parents died too." She said suddenly. He looked up at her. Her face was carefully blank but there was a look in her eyes.

"They died in a fire when I was 10. After that I was adopted by a family here in America so I moved from Russia and changed my name from Natalia to Natasha. I blamed myself for it; I wasn't able to save them. I couldn't go back and get them out and it was my fault." He was surprised that she was opening up to him but he recognized the loss in her eyes and felt it within himself every day. He didn't bother telling her it wasn't her fault; he knew how empty hearing those words could be.

"After my parents died I was in a really dark place. I thought it was my fault, there should've been something I could do but there wasn't and eventually I... I tried to end it all, I tried to kill myself and Becca found me. I've never forgiven myself for that, for letting her see me like that but my sisters and Steve and Sam saved my life. It does get easier after a while; the pain doesn't leave completely but it just sort of..."

"Fades. Until some days you forget it's even there." She finished for him. He nodded his head staring at her understanding eyes for what was probably an indecent amount of time before they were interrupted by one of the mothers of the other children in the class. Bucky had forgotten they weren't alone.

"Ms. Romanoff, I'd like to have a word with you if you could find the time." She gave Bucky a look and by her face he could tell she probably heard the conversation. That was okay; whatever got her and her handsy friends off his back.

"Actually, I was just about to leave. I'll ask Evelyn when I see her." Natasha stared at him a moment longer before moving over to a chair not too far away, pulling a piece of paper from her bag, writing something on it and then walking back over.

"This is my number; you can call and tell me what she says tonight. It's best to have the day with Becca and Rose planned out." He took the paper with her number on it resolving to text her so she could save his number and wordlessly walked out of the studio. There must've been something on his face that deterred his sisters from badgering him and instead Rose clung to him the whole walk to the car while Bex rambled on about Steve's latest paintings. Before they got into the car Rose pulled him down so she could whisper into his ear.

“I wouldn’t mind having another sister when you’re ready.” She kissed his cheek and then hopped into the back seat. She was much too bright and aware for either of their goods.

~*~*~

Evelyn agreed to let the girls go out shopping with Natasha if he chaperoned. He had mostly shaken off the funk from the previous day with Sam and Steve’s help but he could still see some of the darkness behind her eyes despite the sunny smile she gave the girls. They managed to fit the girls with two pairs of shoes each at perfectly affordable prices, though Bucky splurged a little on some hair ribbons for the girls as he felt some guilt over his mood the previous day. He and Natasha bought ice cream for the girls after as they strolled through a park not far from the store. The girls were a few feet ahead of them so he figured he might as well take the opportunity to talk to her now.

“You alright?” He asked her. She looked over at him with a perfectly neutral expression on her face.

“Of course, why?”

“You’ve got a look in your eyes. The question seemed worth asking.”

“I’m f…”

 _‘I’m fine.’_ She would’ve said but she trailed off instead with a sigh.

“I had a dream about the fire last night.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

“Its fine, it happens every now and again. I was just thinking of some things is all. It’s no big deal.”

"Are you sure? You can talk to me if you want."

"I barely know you."

"Yeah, I know. Guess it just feels like I know you but you're right I don't." He turned away from her, keeping an eye on Becca and Rose ahead where they were playing by the edge of a fountain.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize."

"You didn't do anything, I'm just... coming down from it still but I feel the same way. I feel like I've known you a lot longer despite the fact that we've realistically only met four times. But I... I was thinking maybe we could get to know each other better." He looked over at her. She was looking ahead at the girls not at him but he could see that her lips were pursed and her eyes were shifty.

"My sister's girlfriend owns a really nice restaurant if you like soul food."

"Love it."

"I can call you and we can set up a date."

"Good."

"Great." Bucky nodded and made to walk ahead towards the girls as Rose was getting a little too close to the fountain’s edge for his comfort.

"Barnes." He looked back at her quizzically.

"I-I would like it if you called me Natalia." He looked her over. The first time he saw her he would think fear was a completely foreign emotion to her but now he could see it in the little lines between her furrowed eyebrows.

"Okay, well if you're going to give me that privilege, I wouldn't mind it if you called me James. No one else does." She finally looked at him and he lifted his lips into a small smile at her. She blinked before smiling back at him.

"I should probably get the girls back home."

"Yeah, probably."

"I'll see you soon, Natalia."

"And you too, James." He found he liked the way his name came from her mouth. He hesitated before walking away from her.

~*~*~

The fifth time he saw her was two nights later at Tamara's restaurant. They had set it up over the phone and he had let Steve and Sam obsess over his wardrobe before he left. He sat nervously at his table, returning Tamara's smile as she passed him. He fiddled with his blazer jacket as he stared at the door.

Maybe she changed her mind. Maybe she got the wrong address. Maybe something had happened to her or...

His worries were cut off as she entered the room then. She was wearing a white cocktail dress and her red hair was in its usual bouncy curls. He stood up as she walked over to the table.

"Hi."

"Hey." He smiled at her and she lifted one side of her red painted lips. His heart began pounding away but he ignored it. He hadn't felt this way in some time and he didn't plan on throwing it away now.

"должен мы?" (Shall we?)

"Давайте сделаем это." (Let's do it.)


End file.
